One hundred and twenty-one years ago, a grand tradition began at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground, Manchester. It was on July 10, 1884 that the first Test match on that ground began. July 10, 1884 was also the first time in an Old Trafford Test that a whole day's play would be washed out.

August 13, 2005 didn't quite reach those dizzy heights of emptiness. Players got onto the field at 4pm for eight overs - during which time Australia avoided the follow-on - and then went off again. At 6.10pm they returned and played six more overs while millions of Channel 4 viewers anxiously awaited their evening news, and the spectators at the ground began calculating how many beers they could buy with their 50 per cent refund on the day's admission.

Highlight of the day was the naming of the best fancy dress in the crowd, going to the half a dozen or so Fred Flintstones. Fittingly, their prize was presented by Barney Rubble lookalike Mike Gatting.

Midwinter-Midwinter points for Day Three: only fourteen overs bowled, so 1 pt to Shane Warne. (Midwinter, incidentally, top scored for Australia in that 1884 Test with 37.)